Differences
by Edible Colors
Summary: AU of sorts. Yaoi. Based between the first and second game. Specter becomes human and hides from a stalker. He runs into Spike and forms a friendship. Rating due to language. A remake of an older story of mine which is still posted here.
1. Chapter 1

It had been so long since Specter had attempted to rule over the world

It had been so long since Specter had attempted to rule over the world. So many failed attempts left him full of doubt. Specter Land has been his home for years now and for those passed years he was growing bored. At the end of the amusement park stood Specter's castle, the lower levels proved to be a trap to get rid of Spike in his earlier years while the upper levels were transformed into a more livable atmosphere. The home portion was decorated like royalty; the blues, purples, and golden colors filled the plain stonewalls and the furniture matched the same decal.

Still at the base of the castle lay Specter's oversized throne. Inside the room the small mechanical buzz from an RC car echoed off the walls with a dulling sound. A small form was slumped in the throne, LCD lights blinking in patterns on it's helmet. It's red eyes glowed softly as it followed the toy race around on the floor. A monkey stood beside the throne watching the movement as well, seemingly as there was nothing else to pay his attention to in the room. The sudden change of noise as the RC stopped moving and a remote control dropped on the carpet covered stone ground made the standing monkey jumped. Turning his head to the throne, the form that was sitting there moved it's legs out and stepped on the ground, fixing the shawl around his shoulders.

Specter looked down at the toy before looking over at the servant that stood next to him. The servant monkey straightened up before bowing his head respectfully to whom he considered his king. Specter let out a soft sigh as he stepped over the toy and turned to head upstairs to his roomier sections. He walked through the hallways, heading to the farthest room in the back of his castle. Golden painted doors stood proudly against the walls that lead to Specter's bedroom. Two guard monkeys stood on either side of the door and as Specter walked up to them they also bowed their heads down slightly before grasping the door handles and opening it for the greater of them.

Deep rich purples colored the carpet. Specter walked across the room, the dim light from above set a soft yellow glow on white fur. The doors shut behind him with a soft click that even made him turn around and look. He turned back and looked at the balcony doors that lay straight across from his oversized bed. He moved over to the doors and opened them outward onto the balcony and stepped foreword, the sky was cloudy and the moon was dulled. His hands grasped the cold steel of the balcony railing and gracefully Specter pulled himself up to sit on the edge. He may have been more intelligent, more humanlike, but he still had the grace of movement that only monkeys could show.

Everything was soft outside. No noise was too loud or stood out over anything else. Everything blended together in a drone like music.

There was no excitement.

Specter had been having these fits of depression after some time of hiding away. The first few years he spent inside his castle were full of anger, rage, and hate. He wanted to crawl back under the human population's skin and rule them once again. But he lacked resources. He lacked a proper army. Deep in thought the monkey would break something. Throw a piece of furniture on the ground, a picture frame, a mirror. Maids and servants would come and pick up the mess left behind as their king would storm off into another room where he would sit and dwell and create another mess.

Now after the years of rage he tired and grew weary, grew bored. He sulked around the castle; he didn't make any other messes for his maids. He didn't speak much, or if at all in a given day. He always gave a thought to just giving up, returning to his actual home and taking off his helmet. After twisting his mind around about the idea a sudden twang of disappointment and hate raised up from the back of his heart and he disposed of the thought for a week or two. He just wanted to be happy.

What else made him happy? Specter had no clue. He never explored his choices after gaining his new intelligence. Maybe that was a mistake on his part.

He sighed again and looked around his creation sadly, a cold chill blowing through his fur from the air above. Looking up the clouds were darkening, it was summer, sudden storms were always expected a few times. It was no sooner than later did the rain start pouring down on the young monkey. Specter sat in the rain for a little bit, his eyes closed. He wasn't really thinking, he was just, tired. Tired of staying in this dreaded castle he built for himself, tired of doing the same activities everyday, tired of just being so damn unhappy all the time.

The first flash of lighting and the following crack of thunder made Specter's eyes pop open. He looked back up at the sky, squinting his eyes a little bit from the falling water. He turned and got down from the railing, walking back into his room. Specter closed the balcony doors and walked into the bathroom to get himself a towel to dry his fur off. A crash made Specter turn and look into the room, the one balcony door was not closed shut tightly and the winds from outside simply caught under the space and blew it back open forcefully. He kept the damp towel over his head as he moved back into the bedroom and reached outside to grab the door.

The wind was still forcefully keeping the door open; it was a struggle to close because of his small size. He gripped onto the handle with both of his and pulled with all his might. As he stepped back against the wind to close this door lightning flashed again. Specter jerked his head and looked at the sky in sudden surprise. He saw the lightning streak across the sky in a bright yellow and white. What he didn't see was in that split second a stray ray of electricity struck the balcony door that he was holding onto. The voltage pulsed through the door and through his own body looking for ground.

Specter's body tensed up, his mouth open in what was a silent, painful scream. As the electricity passed through him and hit ground, the monkey's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell limply to the floor, nerves in his body still twitching from the aftermath.

The wind blew the door back open forcefully against its hinges and the rain continued to pour. Thunder echoed through the dark sky but it didn't return. Neither did the lightning.

Specter lay on his side in the pouring rain.

He was still breathing.


	2. Chapter 2

He was lucky that his body decided to shut off after that mind-boggling strike from nature. The pain he felt for that second before he blacked out would not be able to measure up to the pain he would feel as his body morphed; his bones changing shape, grew, his skull reconstructing itself, the layout of his organs shifting.

The helmet the professor worked on gave the brain human properties, not just human intelligence. The brain thought of itself as a human part, it was the animal that wore it that knew that it was not a human. It was stressful on the mind the situation the brain was in.

In more of a simple term, one would look at it this way. A lizard loses its tail and it has the ability to grow a new one, though it takes a while, it'll look exactly and function exactly like the old tail would. Or a chameleon changes it's colors by looking at its surroundings and picking up the colors. Unlike evolution that shapes the species over generations and generations, what the lizard and chameleon do is change it's physical appearance now. It physically adapts quickly to the new situation it has been put in.

A human brain in a monkey's body, a situation that the body can't physically adapt to in an instant. Yet Specter's body was able to adapt over night. Perhaps it was the lightning that struck him which sparked a change in the brain that allowed it to do something that was unheard of in modern science. Or maybe it was something that happened within the helmet, something the professor never knew he was able to achieve.

Whichever reason it happened, there he was. Someone who was once a monkey lay on the floor as a human.

The rain had stopped earlier in the night and the morning sun had dried up most of what was wet, including the new boy. Specter was now lying on his back; the movement from the metamorphosis put him in that position. The sun was bright from the storm and it shone on Specter's bare skin. He let out a noise of pain and arched his back upwards and rolled over, opening his eyes and squinted from the sun. He tapped the ground with his hand, trying to wake up his dulled nerves and then he closed his eyes again and rolled back on back, laying an arm over his eyes.

He felt different; Specter didn't know what it was. He mustered up his strength and pulled himself to sit up, slouching over. His back to the sun, his face was shaded and he opened his eyes. He looked into his room. In the bottom of his vision his legs caught his attention. He wondered were his fur was and he reached out to touch his legs in confusion. His arm came into view and where fur once was, was bare. He couldn't understand what was going on. He looked at him limbs and then touched his stomach, his chest, neck, face.

He grabbed the door handle behind him and pulled himself up to stand and rushed over to the full-length mirror that stood next to his closet. What he saw in his reflection he couldn't understand. As he gawked at the image before him he touched over his body again, starting with his hair.

Specter quietly asked his reflective counterpart what had happened. As human fingers tangled in his hair, the helmet was missing. Specter looked around the bedroom behind him then glanced back out on the balcony. His helmet was nowhere to be found. He looked back at the mirror and felt a little bit of indecency. None of the shorts he wore as a monkey would fit him now. He took a smaller blanket off from the foot of his bed and wrapped it around his waist before pressing a button on the bedside table, calling for a servant.

By the time a servant monkey came up to the bedroom, Specter was still standing in front of the mirror inspecting himself. When the two guards outside opened up the door for the servant, Specter turned from his mirror and faced the front; all three of the monkeys that stood before him were surprised to be greeted by someone other than their king and more surprisingly, a human. The two guards began shouting orders in their animal tongue pointing at Specter and the servant had already stepped back behind the guards. The armor clad monkeys stepped into the bedroom bravely before Specter's new human face changed from confusion to annoyance.

"Stop acting like imbeciles." He spoke out stepping forward to his guards. A hand held onto the blanket around his waist. "So it seems that you see I am human too. It's not all in my mind."

The guards posture transformed from a battle stance to a stiffen pose of enlightenment then to a respectful bow, the servant followed suit. Specter sighed ordering the guards back to their post before beckoning the servant to come inside. Soft noises of conversation came from the servant as he stood before his king.

"I'm not quite sure myself." Specter answered as he tightened his blanket and sitting on his bed. The royal grace he had as a monkey was still shown even in his awkward human body. He still held his air of authority, his aura of royalty. He lifted his hands to inspect them over once again, talking to the servant without looking at him, "Something happened last night. I remember that storm we had, and I remember the wind. Something about the wind, and I went and touched the balcony door," he paused shortly as he tried to recover the past night, "And then there was this pain and I just woke up like this."

The servant stood there, his hands folded in front of him as he listened to his king explain what he remembered. He spoke his animalistic tongue once again and whatever he said caused Specter to nod.

"Yes, I do need you to send someone out and get that for me. Don't get yourself caught, there's no need. One shirt, one pair of pants, and some feet coverings should do. I will be able to get the rest of my items later."

After Specter had finished giving his order he looked up from his hands and to his servant. The monkey bowed in compliance and spoke softly, informing his king that his clothes would be there shortly then straightened up, walking out of the bedroom.

Once the doors were shut Specter sat on his bed for a moment more. After the moment of rest he stood up and went back to his mirror, removing the blanket and inspecting over his new body once again.

Things were going to be very different now.

Specter felt happy.


	3. Chapter 3

Summer was always their favorite season. There was nothing better then being out of school and doing nothing. The only thing that was even better than summer was the fact that they both had just graduated, the goal almost every teenager is eagerly awaiting to get to. Not the fact that they just graduated, they had also come back from senior week where they had not spent the week at a crowded beach but had spent the week jumping around to different time stations placed in the past from passed adventures.

Alcohol wasn't a daily part of their diet, but it was consumed on occasions. Enough to make them feel something but not enough to make them sick, black out, or forget what had happened. They liked to enjoy themselves, but they were smart. This item was also brought on their senior week, and along with that drink plenty of good times ensued from the saying "I'm drunk" and having the other reply "It's alright, I'm drunk too."

The events that would happen after saying those words weren't the first time that they'd happen. Even between them. Plenty of times during their high school career they reached their peek of sexual frustration with each other, and afterwards they were awkward, but still best friends.

Nothing could destroy their friendship. It was the strongest any one had ever seen and it was also one plenty of people envied.

The summer sun was bright and warm as it shown in through the open window. The noise outside was minimal for the time of day it was and the breeze was light and gentle. As summer time air can sometimes be muggy, there was nothing uncomfortable about the atmosphere outside. Everything was simple and clean.

The queen sized mahogany bed sat in the middle of the room, directly under the window. Hidden under the red bed sheets a body was sprawled out on his stomach. His breathing was light and blended in with the summer wind that was making its way around the room. The bedroom was large and spacious, a dresser and a closet took up the wall across from the bed, a desk next to the bed and the door to the hall way was opposite of the desk.

Said door opened up inward on silent hinges and another man poked his head into the room with a grin. He opened the door wider before creeping his way inside; the apartment floors were old and noisy, unlike the door. The redhead asleep on the bed stirred a little under his sheets hearing the squeaks. He let out a deep breath and rolled over onto his side, his front facing the intruder. Blue eyes weren't open yet but the stalker did freeze for a moment.

Spike was one of the people who looked unbelievably peaceful in his sleep. During any given day he was so full of emotions there was barely a peaceful moment to be seen. It was only like this that you could catch a glimpse of it. Only if his light sleeping habits didn't ruin it.

The intruder grinned widely looking at him and continued to move forward. The noise of the floorboard finally caught his attention; Spike's eyes slowly opened just as the stalker placed his knee on the bed to pull himself up on its mattress. Blue eyes focused on the intruder and when messages to the brain finally clicked, Spike pulled on his sheets to pull over his head in defense.

"Why are you in here." Spike asked in a tired voice, keeping himself hidden in the sea of red cloth.

"I just wanted to see you sleeping." Came the amused reply, even a chuckle followed after. The answer also caused a small laugh from the redhead.

"You're not modest about your sexuality anymore, are you, Jake" Spike said, not as a question, but a stated fact. The bed sheet was pulled back and Jake was looming over Spike with a widened grin, holding the sheet in his hand.

"I think that was obvious over spring break, don't you think so, Spike?" He said. The younger of the two laughed again and avoided Jake's eyes before looking back at his best friend.

"I think I might need to start locking my bedroom door."

In the kitchen coffee was already finished on the counter, the smell of the bean was strong. The apartment was perfect for the two best friends. Its rooms were big enough and there was plenty of room left for Jake's videogames and instruments. When the two best friends turned 18 they left their homes and got an apartment together. During high school Jake had worked part time at the local music shop while Spike worked weekends at the amusement park with the monkeys no less. Together, they had saved up enough money to maintain their apartment.

Jake also maintained a band that helped bring in a little extra cash, though due to his age the still only played house parties. Yet Jake was confident that his music was catching on and he'd be big one day. It was that conversation with Spike where he had promised - in a teasing voice - that while Spike continues playing with his monkeys, Jake would bring in enough money to take care of him forever.

Spike just laughed and shot off a comment for Jake to go love himself but to Jake his statement was an untraditional way of confessing himself. His pride hindered the message from saying the proper thing, but with their strong bond he figured Spike picked up what he was saying and his masculinity lead him to only reply in a silent grin.

The digital clock on the stove read only ten in the morning as the two men walked into the kitchen. Spike, who was still in his boxers, walked over to the coffee maker and pulled out a mug from the cabinet above, Jake on the other hand had already showered and wore some of his shorts around the apartment. The musician playfully bumped into Spike as he walked around him, intentionally causing the other to make a mess on the counter. With a surprised gasp Spike looked up to his best friend with a half-annoyed expression and grabbed a towel that was hanging off the stove to wipe up the spilt coffee.

"We still have some doughnuts." Jake pointed out. Spike looked over at the white box and thought for a moment before look back down at his coffee and taking a sip. He shook his head afterwards.

"I want to go out to eat. Are you still on vacation?" he asked stepping away from the counter and to the kitchen table to have a seat, Jake followed behind him to sit on the opposite end.

"Yeah, one more week."

"I have two more weeks." Spike laughed with a grin and stuck the tip of his tongue out between his teeth. When the two of them asked for their vacation leave from woke, Spike's employers were generous enough to give him an extra week than Jake's were. With a roll of his eyes Jake let out an exaggerated sigh picking up the sheets of music that were sitting in front of him.

A few minutes after sitting down Spike got back up, announcing he was going to go take his shower and then they could go out to eat. He turned, walking down the hallway and walked into the room at the end of the hallway.

His shower only took ten minutes, he towel dried his hair and walked out of the bathroom and back into his bedroom, he wasn't worried about his nudity. He pulled on a pair of shorts and a tee shirt, slipping his feet into his sandals. As Spike walked back out into the living room Jake was lying on the couch, his eyes set on the TV, still only dressed in shorts.

"Jake."

The man looked over at his roommate and sat up. "Sorry, man." He grinned. Spike shook his head while Jake walked passed him to go back into his own bedroom that lay on the other side of the door opposite of Spike's room. When Jake came back out Spike was already waiting with the apartment door open for him.

These were the days Spike loved being outside, weather it just be relaxing in the park or taking a jog, he never could get sick out a perfect summer day. His skin was a nice color of tan from the love the sun gave him.

"Where are we eating?" Jake questioned from beside Spike. The red head looked at him and shrugged his answer.

"I was thinking just that little café near main."

Jake let out a nod and stuck his hands into his pockets, feeling around. He stopped walking and patted down his other pockets. Spike stopped once he realized that he was walking alone and turned around to Jake.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't have my wallet."

Spike's expression was not amused and he patted his pocket, feeling his wallet, just to be safe.

"I'll pay, don't worry." He said as he turned to keep walking. Jake came up to walk on the right side again. Spike turned to look at Jake, "See, I told you I was going to take a shower, I half expected you to get ready."

Jake made a lame face and looked over towards the street. The sound of a thud and a surprised yell caused him to quickly look back over at Spike.

His best friend had just run into an opening door and took a step back, holding his head. The sound "Whoa" murmured through Jake's lips as he looked from Spike to the other who had opened the door.

The white and blue hair'd man gave off the appearance of a money who the two best friends were all too familiar with.


End file.
